Double clutches are used in so-called double clutch or parallel manual transmissions for motor vehicles. A known embodiment has a clutch cage with several pressure plates, which are connected to one another by the clutch cage. Arranged between the pressure plates are loose driving disks. The clutch cage with the pressure plates forms a structural unit which has to be balanced after assembly. The driving disks arranged between the pressure plates are balanced before being mounted. However, after mounting, the driving disks are likewise located in the clutch cage. So that they do not impair the balancing process, they must be held for balancing of the clutch cage in such a way that they do not touch the pressure plates.
The object of the invention is to create a device for holding a constructional unit of a double clutch in a balancing machine, which allows rotatable bearing of the clutch cage and, at the same time, holds the driving disks arranged in the clutch cage without play in such a way that they do not touch the pressure plates in the clutch cage. The device should also be easy and reliable to handle and quick to operate.
The object is achieved by the invention cited in claim 1. Advantageous configurations of the invention are cited in the subordinate claims.
According to the invention, the device for holding a double clutch in a balancing machine has a bearing mandrel which has a first clamping device for clamping a pivot bearing rotatably bearing the clutch cage to be balanced and a second clamping device for clamping a driving disk of the double clutch, one of the two clamping devices being adjustable in respect of the bearing mandrel in the axial direction by means of an operating device.
With the device according to the invention the clutch cage, via the pivot bearing associated with it, and the driving disk are clamped separately from one another on a bearing mandrel. Then by axial adjustment of a clamping device, the driving disk is brought into a released position made available by the pressure plates of the clutch cage, so there is no longer any contact between the driving disk and the pressure plates of the clutch cage. Depending on which position the driving disks have after clamping and depending on which of the clamping devices is axially adjusted, the axial adjustment must take place in one direction or the other and the device constructed accordingly. The device according to the invention allows sufficiently rigid and exactly positioned bearing of the clutch cage and therefore creates the condition for precise measuring of the imbalance to be balanced out. The driving disk not involved in the imbalance measurement is held securely in a neutral position and cannot therefore impede the measuring process.
The bearing mandrel may have various spatial positions. The longitudinal axis of the bearing mandrel is preferably vertically arranged, only the lower end being fixed. This results in a defined clamping position for the driving disk lying loose between the pressure plates when the double clutch is placed onto the bearing mandrel, as said driving disk rests by its weight on top of the pressure plate located below it. After clamping of the pivot bearing of the clutch cage and the driving disk, the driving disk can then be released from the pressure plate by a defined stroke of the second clamping device directed upwards or a stroke of the first clamping device directed downwards.
In order to be able to balance double clutches with two driving disks, according to a further proposal of the invention, the clamping mandrel may have a third clamping device. This may be stationary or adjustable in respect of the bearing mandrel in the axial direction by means of an operating device.
The bearing mandrel preferably has a fastening end which can be connected to the balancing machine and a free end, its cross-section tapering in several cylindrical steps from the fastening end to the free end and the individual steps carrying a clamping device in each case.
Clamping assemblies with annular clamping disks and means for axial tightening of the clamping disks may be provided as clamping devices according to the invention. They allow precisely centered clamping with short clamping strokes and are distinguished by low constructional complexity and outlay. Other configurations of clamping devices are likewise possible. Actuation of the clamping devices can be done either by hand by means of a spindle-nut arrangement or by pneumatic, hydraulic or electric actuators. The first clamping device, serving to clamp the pivot bearing of the clutch cage, is preferably arranged immediately on a cylindrical stepped face of the bearing mandrel and supported on a shoulder limiting the stepped face. The second or third clamping device, intended for clamping a driving disk, comprises an inner clamping sleeve with a flange extending radially outwards, an outer clamping sleeve held displaceably on the inner clamping sleeve and a clamping assembly, which is arranged between the flange and the outer clamping sleeve and can be moved into the clamping position by the outer clamping sleeve and the flange approaching one another, the inner clamping sleeve being held displaceably on a step of the bearing mandrel and being axially adjustable with the aid of the operating device. A spindle-nut arrangement or a pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically actuatable actuator may be provided as operating device.
According to a further proposal of the invention the clamping device arranged at the free end of the bearing mandrel can be easily removable from the bearing mandrel. This enables more freedom of choice of the clamping diameter and allows the arrangement of an actuator for actuating the clamping device, the diameter of which is greater than the clamping diameter.